It's hard to believe another year has rocketed by and
it's now time to announce the Rev'it Spring 2012 clothing lineup.

I was introduced to the new lineup during a visit to the Rev'it USA headquarters in New York back in October
and I took some photographs there and in the Rev'it booth at the
2011 EICMA show (report).

As always, there's a lot to report from Rev'it and they're certainly not
resting on their laurels for the new year!

2012 Rev'it Spring/Summer Clothing Lineup

Rev'it has much more than I can report on here, but let's take a look at
just a few of the new Rev'it motorcycle clothing items for
2012.

There are many exciting new products, and that in and of itself is news.
As everyone knows, the worldwide economic conditions over the last couple of
years have been, well, let's just say they've been less than optimal.

Many local motorcycle shops have shut their doors for the last time
unfortunately,
never to return. And motorcycle clothing and accessory manufacturers have
also felt
the pinch.

But motorcycle and scooter sales haven't been as affected as
one might think (see the
Motorcycle Sales Statistics page and it's important to remain optimistic
about the future.

The easy way out in a situation like this -- and one which too many
companies adopt -- is to run scared, shrink the product line and
compromise on quality, trying to cut costs. And that is usually a mistake.

A smart company will use an economic downturn as an opportunity to
work even harder at developing new ideas and products that will both address
the current situation and prepare for the future. This is the
"when life hands you lemons, turn them into lemonade" strategy. And that
appears to be exactly the tack that Rev'it has taken for 2012.

The 2012 Rev'it clothing lineup is stronger than ever, with several new
and innovative products in the mix. Rev'it has always offered a breadth of
selections that covers just about every riding type, weather contingency and
climate you can think of, and that hasn't changed for 2012 -- good news!

A jacket's a jacket, right? Wrong! Rev'it incorporates so many different
technologies into their clothing, which have so many TLAs (Three-Letter
Acronyms, get it?) and trade names that it can be difficult for the customer (and
the retailer) to know what it is and how it all works.

So, in another good
example of the attention to detail that Rev'it is known for (and for which we
have noted through the years), Rev'it will have a new format for the "hang
tags" that come with each garment.

The tags will include recommendations on suggested weather conditions and
temperatures for the item, along with details on the location and function
of the protective features and also instructions for use and proper
alignment of the armor and padding. And, a lookup table for all those TLAs!

The example tag at Rev'it USA headquarters shown in the photo above
included lots of good information and it was also an interesting read. So this
small improvement should also help both the customer and the retailer to learn about
the product and to choose the best item for his or her needs.

The 2012 REV'IT! Horizon HV (High
Visibility) jacket on the left and the Horizon in light gray on the
right.

The Horizon jacket is new for 2012 and it incorporates a brand-new
patented VCS (Variable Climate System) "Aquadefence" air vent system. The Horizon supplements the
extensive line of Rev'it "tour fit" jackets and it has a nice
adventure-touring style. Matching Horizon pants are also available to make
the outfit.

The new front vent system consists of a special rubberized panel that is
specially sealed into the fabric. It's a very simple system with a pull-down
panel that completely covers the large vent to make it instantly waterproof.
It's easy to use and takes only one hand to open or close.

The Aquadefence vent is backed by the special Rev'it "3D" mesh
material, which is a thick matrix that keeps the vent away from the rider's
chest when riding to ensure that the air flows through. Without the 3D mesh,
the fabric tends to push flat against the chest with the wind pressure, and
that diminishes the amount of air that can circulate.

The Horizon jacket comes in an "HV" (High Visibility) version, which
meets the CE EN-471 specifications for visibility. The Horizon has added
reflective material all around the front, sides and back also.

The jacket and pants come with the full array of CE protection, including
Knox Flexiform in the shoulders and elbows. The Horizon jacket and pants are
breathable, with a Hydratex membrane and tested for water resistance.

The
Horizon jacket will have a list price of $479.99 for the standard colors
(light gray or black); the Horizon HV jacket costs $20.00 more. The Horizon pants will list at $299.99
in short, standard and long lengths.

The Rev'it Tornado jacket (photos below) was introduced in 2011 (here) and proved to be one of
the most popular sellers worldwide. New for 2012 is the Tornado HV (High
Visibility) version, with CE EN-471 certified fabric.

The Tornado and matching Tornado pants (photo above) should be a perfect
hot-weather riding solution (the Tornado pants can be purchased one size
larger to use as overpants also).

Removable waterproof and insulating liners are
included. Mesh panels cover almost the entire front and rear of the jacket,
along with the inner and outer arms. The pants have mesh panels along the
thighs and lower portions of the legs.

The Tornado jacket is available in both men's and women's versions, in silver or black,
and it has a list price of $319.99 and the
HV version is $10.00 more. The Tornado pants have a list price of $279.99
and are available in short, standard and long lengths.

The 2012 REV'IT! Tornado HV jacket and
pants outfit on the left. Horizon outfit on the right.

The 2012 REV'IT! Tornado HV jacket (L) and
Tornado jacket in silver on the right.

Rev'it is using a new design to allow easier adjustments for armor in the
jackets and pants. The system, shown in the photo below, is easier to use
and has printed instructions for positioning the armor.

Building on the phenomenal success of the Tornado hot-weather riding
outfit (dealers had a hard time keeping them in stock!), Rev'it developed
the new Airwave jacket and pants (photos below), which will also be released in Spring of
2012.

The Airwave looks even better, with sharp styling and just a touch of
high-vis yellow along the arms in the version shown below. The jacket is
also available with red trim, black trim or an all-black version.

Matching Airwave pants have full mesh panels at the upper and lower
thighs, lower legs and down the back of the legs in the rear. Knox Flexiform
armor is included in the shoulders, elbows and knees on the pants. Since the
Airwave is designed for the hottest weather a rider will encounter, it does
not come with a waterproof or thermal liner.

The Airwave jacket and pants will be available in both men's and women's
versions. It will have a list price of $199.99 for the jacket and $189.99
for the pants. Order yours as soon as you can, because these will sell
faster than Italian ice come summer time!

Here's one that may or may not make it to North America, so if you're
interested, I suggest you barrage Rev'it with email!

The CE EN-471 standard for high-visibility motorcycle riding clothes is
being used in many European countries, although there is some controversy on
how much difference this type of clothing can make for rider visibility.

The new Rev'it Athos Air vest is a high-vis garment that also includes
large swaths of retro-reflective fabric. The front and back panels are mesh
and it has stretch panels on the sides. Designed to fit over any motorcycle
jacket, the Athos Air vest looks the part. It isn't on the Rev'it USA price
list for 2012 but they're testing the market for feedback. I like it and
hope they bring it to North America.

The 2012 REV'IT! Athos Air high-visibility
vest.

The 2012 REV'IT! Athos Air vest over the
Airwave jacket, rear view.

Rev'it Ignition 2 Jacket

The Rev'it Ignition jacket and the Gear pants were another very
popular item released in 2011. Both have been improved for 2012, now
called the Ignition 2 jacket and Gear 2 pants.

These are leather/mesh hybrid garments which, when you think about it,
offers the best of both worlds -- the protection of leather with the
excellent ventilation properties of mesh. But it's more than that, because
the Ignition 2 jacket and the Gear 2 pants have removable water- and
wind-proof liners, so you're ready for any condition.

This is a high-end outfit and, as such, it comes with the high-end
ProLife CE armor protection in the shoulders, elbows and the knees on the
Gear 2 pants. The Ignition 2 jacket and Gear 2 pants are available in men's
and women's versions in black or black/anthracite (shown below), perfect for
cruising or touring. The jacket has a list price of $499.99 and the pants
list for $399.99.

The 2011 REV'IT! Tarmac Air Jacket.

The 2012 REV'IT! Ignition 2 jacket, men's
on the left and women's on the right.

Every year, when I visit the Rev'it USA showroom, they have beautiful
one-piece suits on display. One-piece suits are unfortunately not as
popular with street riders in the U.S.A. as they are elsewhere, but that
doesn't prevent Rev'it from listing the suits in their North American
catalog.

The Rev'it suits have been proven in racing with some of the top riders
and race series in the world, up to and including MotoGP. Each year, Rev'it
evolves the suits (and other gear) based on racer feedback.

The Stingray is the top-of-the-line suit for 2012. Rev'it said it was
developed from MotoGP and by studying all of the slow-motion crash footage
of many riders wearing the various brands of leather suits, to determine
which parts of the suit require the most protection from impact and
abrasion.

The studies determined that it was better to move some of the seams out
of the impact areas and also to replace some of the leather with stretch
Kevlar to make the suit more comfortable, flexible and breathable.

The photographs taken in the dim lighting of the showroom don't come
anywhere close to illustrating the details in the Stingray suit, but I can
tell you it's a work of technical art.

The Stingray suit comes in black with white trim or white with red or
black trim. The list price is actually a very reasonable $1,499.99;
reasonable because it would be hard to get this kind of technology and
protection without paying nearly twice as much for a leather suit.

The day I visited the Rev'it USA showroom in New York was the day Rev'it
also announced the purchase of the Italian Tryonic outdoor performance gear
protection (i.e., back protector) firm. This was reported earlier on
webBikeWorld (here) and
formally announced also at the 2011 EICMA show.

Some of the Tryonic products were shown at EICMA and here are some photos
I took. I'm hoping that the Tryonic back protectors will find their way into
the Rev'it jackets...hopefully as standard equipment!

The Rev'it Tryonic back protectors and
knee brace on display at the 2011 EICMA show.

REV'IT! Tryonic back protector.

More REV'IT! Tryonic back protectors on
display at the 2011 EICMA show.

This has been only a small sampling, of course, of the complete Rev'it
lineup for 2012. Rev'it is one of the largest producers in the world of
high-quality motorcycle clothing and they have a very complete and extensive
product line. This includes everything from specially designed
Rev'it socks
(review) for motorcycling to the very high-visibility (and very
reasonably priced) Rev'it Energy HV jacket (review).

The lineup will also continue with what I think is currently the single
best (and you don't hear me use that word very often!) jacket and pants
outfits available today, the
Rev'it Defender GTX
(review).

There are many other new products in the Rev'it Spring/Summer 2012
lineup that are not covered here, including the Bullit one-piece leather
suit; the beautiful Rebel men's and women's leather jackets (which we hope
to get for a review); the aggressively-priced new Spectrum and Spectrum HV
men's and women's textile jackets; the Indigo and Indigo HV women's textile
jackets; and the Rev'it RSR Racing gloves, which we also hope to review.